Shifting Gears
by galleons
Summary: So I rediscovered some favorite classic novels...and then this came up. Possible one-shot or more. After the case, some things change and some stay the same.


**The Outsiders**

**Part 1: The Third Parties**

Disclaimer: Reading some old novel favs and this came up. Fanfics are for fun and I don't wish to profit from the books or characters. Not sure if it's a one-shot or then again, if something else comes up…but just a few things. Dallas will always be a brunette for me and from the movies. In this scenario, Johnny and Dallas live, Bob does die, and after a court case, Johnny and Pony go back to what life was before. Some lines between Soc and Greaser for some have blurred. Some connections made are a catalyst for new developments. And one girl wishes the two boys she now considers friends would have just shut their traps.

She marveled at her friend: the pert little nose twitched slightly and then flared, but was still elegant and well, gorgeous. The breathtakingly lovely face was just that. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth screwed to one side slightly but it was not like it sounded. Everything she did was pretty, no not pretty, she was beautiful.

So when he walked through the door that was clouded with too many handprints mirroring each other and breath left shadowes of many couples, friends, and rivals either raucously laughing, arguing, and some even crying as they stormed out. She noted that the whole room turned as he entered.

He looked around much as if he owned the place. He had arrived. But she was never sure if that was just the tuffness he gave off, which was electric, or how aware of it he was. She liked to think he knew it. He gave a self-satisfied smirk, gave the darker, slighter boy a rough but affectionate noogie, and then shoved him ahead first. The Ponyboy Curtis boy just followed solemnly as always. Johnny, directly in front of Dallas, looked like a pig set for the slaughterhouse.

The two younger boys looked a bit apprehensive, even guilty really. They should be. How the hell else would he know she'd be here?

Dallas Winston looked around The Dingo and nodded up at a few people. She wasn't sure if it was a greeting, a challenge, or an acknowledgment. Then she looked again at Cherry who was frozen but determined. She couldn't understand her. _You hate him, you want to avoid him, you are not going steady with anyone, you knew he came here, it was his turf…. Then why were we here? _She thought to herself.

She knew, she just didn't say anything.

She noticed that Cherry took a prim and purse-lipped sip of her Coke. She started to engage in a serious conversation with Marcia and vigorously faced her with a determination to converse that could only mean…

"Hey. _You…."_ The booming voice cut over the swinging music.

Cherry ignored him.

"Hey, are you going to pretend you don't hear me?" his deep voice grew a bit shrill, with a tinge of disbelief.

"Did you hear something?" Cherry looked airly around, her eyes focusing on nothing, until they came back to Marcia's.

"I…uh…not sure what you mean.' Marcia giggled and blushed purple. She had stolen a quick look at him. He looked both amused, but there was a flicker of something else there too.

And the eyes…he wasn't prepared to back down or be ignored either. They all could feel it.

"I'm talking to you, Cherry, isn't it. _Cherry._ You still don't hear me?"

Her eyes shot knives at him. She swiveled. Her dark red waves followed as her head shot back to look at her friend. She picked up her Coke, deliberately took a long slow sip, and continued to ignore him.

He continued to walk that cool, bouncy stride. A busboy that had thick black glasses that he pushed up, and a white triangle paper hat that shifted, glared but he did nothing. He couldn't. His thin, skinny arms, would surely break if he even attempted to grab this jerk. But he was such a cute jerk. He gave another glare and continued to stare. Dallas Winston stared him down, one eyebrow raised. And he pushed the loose door to the kitchen and fled.

"Hey, you, hear me now?"

"What do _you _want?" Cherry eyed him menacingly.

"That's better. At least you can hear now. I was getting worried. Thought something was wrong with you. You know, too young to be hard of hearing, right doll?" He gave her a lop-sided grin.

"Hi, Cherry," said Ponyboy sheepishly. Johnny just nodded and grimaced.

"I'd get you a Coke but you have one, although you drank it so fast when I came in the joint that maybe I should get you another one?"

"I don't want anything from you." She looked at her almost empty Coke.

"Why, cause I'm…" his voice rose and he spread his arms wide.

"No, because you are mean and have no manners. And no decent girl would…"

"I don't like decent girls. Well, I didn't until I saw you," he added as a matter of fact.

She turned pink. Her cheeks heated to a color that only resembled a flamingo. Or really a part of the neon sign out front. Which would look garish on anyone else, but with that beautiful face and that fair complexion, it was startling. Like two pink roses…

Marcia looked around. She liked Two-Bit. She thought it was a shame he was a klepto…and he did seem to prefer blondes. _And with my mouse brown hair really… and the other two were silent as Dallas ranted, but maybe if this worked out…you know, they could put in a good word with Two-Bit._

Yeah, you met me. Hello. And now _good bye_…" She slammed her Coke down, getting a bit on Marcia. She gave her an apologetic look and then her face was back in soldier mode. She crossed her arms and her eyes snapped again at him.

"I ain't going anywhwere. This is my joint." He stabbed his fingers toward the tight black t-shirt he wore.

"Go to hell. They can stay with us though." She smiled sweetly, remembering who else was there. "Hi Pony…Johnny," And then she glared back at Dallas again.

His smirk deepened into something more resembling a smile." Well, wherever they go, I go now. These two are like my little brothers. And I don't feel like leaving. You know, you are so pretty when you're mad, for a Soc broad."

She steamed. Marcia was waiting to see smoke come out of her ears but it didn't. One would think he'd get the point after awhile, both girls pondered. Then they realized he did. It still wouldn't make him leave.

"Cherr…people are starting to look. What if the cops come? And look at those two. Pony was probably coming because of what you told him the other day and…." Marcia looked at the two boys and felt instantly bad. Pony looked mortified and Johnny looked like he was about to die from embarrassment.

Cherry eyed Dallas coolly. "fFine. I want to talk to Pony anyway…"

Dallas shoved Johnny to the side a bit brusquely, and did exactly what she didn't' want him to do.

"But if you think you are going to sit next to…." She warned him.

He plopped himself right down next to her. Pony and Johnny sat down slowly, and he casually flung an arm around the back of her part of the booth that was behind her.

"I can't even drink. I feel sick." She pushed her Coke away. Marcia loved her friend, but she was being so childish, really. Marcia remembered doing that once at the dinner table when her mother served peas.

He smiled slyly and gulped down her Coke that he helped himself to. He smiled again as he drank it. "I'll get you another one." Something then occurred to Marcia_. I think…geez…I think he drank from it because she did….oh, that is _so _adorable._

Cherry rolled her eyes and made to get up and leave. She motioned to Marcia to hand her her purse.

"Stop, Don't you ever stop getting mad, angel?" He cupped her chin with his hand and made as if to try and kiss her, but stopped just short and looked into her eyes. He grinned like an idiot and she smacked it away . Dallas rolled back into the booth with laughter.

"Little spitfire this one…" Nobody was sure who he was talking to. "Can't hold it against you. The prettiest broad I've ever seen and I've lived in New York, baby."

Cherry stared at him in derision.

"Don't worry. When we get married someday, I'm sure I'll be used to it by then. Or I can just plug my ears. You'll still be nice to look at." He gave her a self-assured grin.

Cherry started to cough. She lost some wind. She had no answer to this.

He smiled and took another sip of her Coke and winked playfully at her.

"Now I think you need one. This one's about done," Dallas informed her.

"No, _you're_ done."

"Not yet, not with you…Pony told me something."

Ponyboy looked down at his tennis shoes and said nothing.

"Told you what? Not that I care what you think. I did the right thing. I told the truth about Bob."

"I know you did and that took guts. You're a brave one, no doubt about that. I would have told you before but you are always mad at me. No something else."

"Oh." Her mouth formed an "o." And she turned magenta. She had just given some confirmation to what she believed he was about to bring up.

"I reckon you might be remembering. Good girl. Smart one too….and a looker…you might be the one…" he trailed off in an upbeat tone.

"Oh, who could _forget _you are a hood? she snapped half-heartedly, but she knew the game was up.

"You're in love with me. How about that? Still can't believe it's true." And he beamed at her and shifted closer, reaching out to brush back a lock of her red hair from her eyes. She hadn't done it herself because she was mortified and embarrassed.

"No, I am _not."_

"He says you said it. Pony doesn't lie. He can be a real pain sometimes but not that. And no one has ever said they could love me before. Why would he kid? And not with me, the kid knows better. They both do." Dallas turned to look at Pony and Johnny as if to make a point.

"Keep dreaming." She spat out viciously.

"Speaking of which…do you dream of me? I wish I had one of you, but I think about you. Do you think about me that much?" He stroked her cheekbone.

"You think about her a lot?" gushed Marcia. Cherry eyes her with a vengeance. "Sorry," she mouthed.

His fingers played with her hair and twisted it around more. She tried to pull away and he used the light grip he had to turn her face toward him.

"Look at me."

"No, ugh, get away from me. I told you to…"

"I'm not asking. I need to see."

"See what?" Her eyes flashed at him in fury and helplessness.

"So it is true. Ain't that something." He smiled and leaned back, folding his arms across his denim jacket.

"You know nothing."

"Not much, anyway… I hated school. But I know about this stuff. Oh, boy, you do then. Now what to do about it…"

She stood up so fast he reeled back, his hand dropped from her hair, and she took her purse and hit him.

He laughed. "I like you too you know. A lot." He looked up at her with a sort of dreamy look in his eyes, those eyes that were usually hard and bitter. It lasted a second or two and then they regained their usual look. A defensive look more like.

Marcia couldn't tell if she was more shocked he said something or that he said _like_ and not _love_. She did have something going for him.

"Ugh! Not if you were the only boy left. There is nothing to do about it. Are you nuts?"

"Oh, so you are saying there is something then? And I am kinda nuts about you. You dig?"

She rolled her eyes and shoved her way out of the booth, giving the two other boys and Marcia apologetic looks. She stormed out to the parking lot. The bells on the door tinkled violently as the glass door slammed.

"Hey, what about the Cokes? Damn it, you two, order some more. Here, take some money. And give one to the friend. What's your name again?"

"Marcia."

"Yeah, right, give one to Marcia. You two drove over?" he asked, as he dug in his jean pockets for some change.

"I did."

"Oh, and you have the keys.."

"Yes."

"Well, then she can't go anywhere." He grinned at the realization.

And he pounded out the door.

"Sorry, he got it out of the both of us. He asked if she ever said anything about him and Johnny gulped and started fidgeting and he just about drove us crazy til he got it out of us."

"Whatever. She is going to be mad at you two though, but I think she likes him too. Now, where is Two Bit?"


End file.
